General
What are registered reports?
As per the Center for Open Science’s (COS’s) Open Science Framework (OSF), Registered Reports is a publishing format wherein protocols are provisionally accepted for publication before the studies are actually conducted.
Are registered reports the same as preregistration?
No. Preregistration refers to the registration of hypotheses and plans for data collection and analysis via websites or recognized depositories such as AsPredicted or OSF. Preregistration will be required only if a registered report submission is accepted by the journal.
What is the process of submission to publication?
Submissions will undergo a two-step double-anonymized review process. The first step is the submission of a registered report (see next section for details). If the registered report is accepted, the second step is the submission of the manuscript, which may be characterized as provisionally accepted (i.e., accepted registered report = provisionally accepted manuscript). This requires the authors to carefully and professionally conduct the proposed study/studies adhering to the methodology in the registered report that is accepted. If submitted on time, and if the final manuscript submission adheres to the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing’s submission guidelines (which are also used for all AMA journals), the manuscript will be published in the Special Issue.
To avoid confusion, “registered report” (in lower case) refers to the proposed research submitted in the first step, while “manuscript” refers to the submission – to be published in the Special Issue – in the second step. “Registered Report” (in upper case) refers to the publishing format/process.
What research are we looking for?
We are looking for new empirical work designed to initiate, develop, and test potential solutions to mitigating the generation and propagation of mis- and disinformation, in an ecologically valid way. Our goal is to encourage the testing of theory-driven ideas that are feasible and scalable.
Submissions that propose solutions based on original conceptual insights, methodological innovations, and that offer clear managerial or policy contributions are particularly welcome.
Interventions could be related to the key players and could address topics such as (but are not limited to):
| Publishers | – Addressing the goals of generating fake news – Tackling incentives and disincentives for publishers |
| Platform | – Creating products such as algorithmic and platform-based solutions – Testing platform-based cues (e.g., fake-news flags) and policies (e.g., account restrictions) |
| People | – Building communities/societies that are resilient to fake news – Testing cognitive and motivational mechanisms to increase discernment of truth vs. falsehood and reduce spread of fake news |
In addition, interventions could test potential policy solutions or address incentives for platforms, such as their revenue streams (e.g., advertising-based interventions).
Please refer to the Call for Papers for more information.
Registered Report
What criteria will the review team use to evaluate my registered report?
The review team will evaluate submitted registered reports based on the originality and theoretical rationale of the conceptual insights proposed, methodological innovation and rigor (including soundness, feasibility, and reproducibility), as well as the clarity, practicality, and potential impact of the intended managerial or policy contributions.
Which type of studies can I include in my registered report?
We welcome submissions that feature empirical work, whether experimental or nonexperimental, field studies or online studies.
Replications and meta-analyses will not be accepted.
Can/should I perform pretests or pilot tests before submitting my registered report?
Pretesting and pilot-testing ideas can help improve the strength of the registered report; such pretesting of stimuli/methods/measures and pilot testing, along with appropriate power analysis, can be included to establish proof of concept, effect size estimations, and the feasibility of proposed methods.
Any pretests or pilot tests should be included in the final version of the manuscript (in the main text or the appendix) and should be clearly distinguished from data obtained for the manuscript via preregistered study/studies as proposed in the initial registered report submission.
What is required in my registered report submission (Step 1)? Is there a template that I have to use to prepare?
There is no strict template. The registered report is essentially a proposal, in the form of a partial manuscript that includes an introduction (including motivating background literature), hypotheses, rationale for the proposed study/studies, experimental design and procedures, and analytical methods as would be expected in a manuscript. In addition, authors should address key questions in their submission in addition to presenting the theoretical framework or mechanism, any relevant pretests and pilot studies which have already been conducted, and the proposed empirical test. These key questions may also include whether the proposed interventions would work on real social platforms, whether they are desirable from a societal standpoint, the potential downsides and criticisms of the intervention, their feasibility and scalability, and whether the effects are persistent over time. It may also be critical to carefully consider the relevant outcomes of interest to combat misinformation. The authors should also submit a timeline (which should not exceed nine months) for completing the registered study/studies and a statement confirming that, after the registered report has been accepted, to preregister their study/studies before conducting it/them and to allow open access to any study materials, raw data, and programming code. The authors should also include a statement confirming that all necessary support (e.g. funding, facilities) and approvals (e.g. ethics) are, or would be, in place for the proposed research.
Registered reports should not exceed 5,000 words of text, not including references.
What details should be included in the proposed methodology?
The description of the design and procedures should be sufficiently detailed to allow another researcher to be able to replicate the methodology exactly. This should also be the methodology that is followed and reported in the manuscript.
Sample characteristics, such as data inclusion and exclusion criteria (e.g., manipulation, attention and/or comprehension checks), should be detailed.
The authors should also include all data cleaning and processing steps, and a description of planned analyses and the inclusion of covariates or regressors. If any analysis depends on the outcome of prior analyses, the decision tree must be specified and followed.
Final Manuscript (Provisionally Accepted After Acceptance of Registered Report)
What if I need more time to conduct the pre-registered study/studies than the timeline that I proposed earlier in my accepted registered report?
Because of the strict publication timeline for the Special Issue, unfortunately, this is generally not allowed. However, If it is truly unavoidable (e.g., because of certain extenuating circumstances), please inform us in advance, along with the modified timeline, so we may assess the request on a case-by-case basis.
Can I modify the existing methodology after the registered report is accepted? Can I add new studies after conducting the pre-registered study/studies in my registered report?
In general, no. Any changes to the stated and accepted design and procedures, however minor it may seem, is counter to the purpose of Registered Reports, and could lead to the manuscript being rejected.
One exception is if (minor) changes to stated studies are allowed, or new studies are specifically requested for, by the review team (both of which would be reported in the manuscript as well as an explanation thereof). Hence, please consider as much as possible the full suite of studies that you plan to conduct to support the research, and detail the studies in the registered report.
Authors are reminded to faithfully conduct their studies, which would, in part, be reflected in the data and programming code. Otherwise, they may risk rejection in the second step.
Must the content in the registered report be replicated in the manuscript?
Yes, except for correcting factual or language errors, minor stylistic changes that do not alter the original meaning, changes from future to past tense, and/or unless specifically requested for or allowed by the reviewers and/or editors (such as for the purposes of brevity).
Any changes that are accepted or requested in the Methodology (see above) must be reported in the manuscript.
What, in addition to the registered report, should be included in the manuscript?
All stated analyses in the accepted registered report must be reported in the manuscript as findings. Additional analyses (e.g., exploratory) not stated in the accepted registered report must be properly characterized as such and justified for inclusion. Authors should not base their conclusions on such additional analyses.
The manuscript should adhere to the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing’s submission guidelines, which are also used for all AMA journals.
Can I withdraw a manuscript submission after my registered report is accepted?
While this is not encouraged, we understand that due to extenuating unforeseen reasons, authors may have to withdraw their manuscript submission after the registered report has been accepted.
Can I submit a manuscript based on a partial of what has been approved in the registered report.
Partial withdrawals are not possible unless permitted by the editors in special circumstances, as determined on a case-by-case basis.